We made an early morning trip to Manhattan’s flower market with Kelsea Olivia, Founder and Head of Brand at East Olivia, a women-led creative agency based in New York City that specializes in luxury event design, large-scale floral installations, and creative production. Known for her bold use of color, fashion-inspired florals, and deep belief in beauty as a human right—not a luxury—Kelsea’s work lives at the intersection of visual storytelling and emotional connection. Since launching East Olivia out of her 6th floor Harlem walk-up, she has produced over hundreds installations for clients like Veuve Clicquot, Anthropologie, Mastercard, and Mara Hoffman.
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What’s a day in the life like for a florist and content creator? Have you always worked in this type of industry?
No two days are the same, which is exactly how I like it. Some mornings start very early at the NYC flower market—my favorite street in Manhattan—sourcing flowers that will later become part of an installation, a brand activation, or a preserved arrangement.
Other days are full of design meetings, managing production logistics and continuing to build and expand our business. I started my career in the music industry, actually. I spent a decade there before burnout led me to pivot. I didn’t know what was next, but I did know I wanted to reconnect—with myself and with creativity that inspired me.That path eventually led me to florals, which for me is where beauty meets purpose—and where I discovered both my voice and, ultimately, my medium as an artist. -
You’ve worked with Mixed on stunning floral installations. How do you see fashion and florals intersecting as forms of self-expression?
For me, flowers and fashion are kindred spirits—they both tell stories without saying a word. Just like an outfit can express a mood, a moment, or a memory, floral design does the same. Working with Mixed was such a perfect alignment because they understand that flowers aren’t just décor—they're part of the visual language of style & of self expression. Fashion is my greatest source of inspiration—more than anything else, it fuels my creative process. Street style in NYC, seasonal palettes, fabric textures—all of it informs how I build a floral moment, from color story to composition. It’s also where I see some of the boldest boundary-pushing happening—through scale, texture, silhouette, and fearless use of color—which directly influences how I approach my own work with florals.
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Florals have an ephemeral beauty—what’s a moment in your career that felt fleeting but deeply meaningful?
Our first large-scale floral installation for Create & Cultivate was one of those moments. The words “Collaboration Over Competition” floated above a tropical floral explosion—and while I was terrified to take on something at that scale, I also felt completely alive. It came and went in a flash, like all fresh floral installations do, but it became a rocket ship moment for East Olivia. Pre-Covid, our business was growing hand over fist, our team was full of wildly talented (and sometimes wildly complex) personalities, and it was one of the most rewarding, challenging, and beautiful chapters in both my life and my business. But like flowers, it didn’t last forever.
Working with fresh florals has taught me so much about impermanence—about honoring the beauty of a moment without needing it to last forever. I grew up in a pretty unstable environment, and through the trauma of my childhood and adolescence, I became deeply sentimental. Flowers helped reframe that for me. They taught me that something doesn’t have to last to be meaningful. That endings can be safe. That I can let go and still be okay—and even perhaps more present in the here and now, holding the truth that all beautiful and precious things are not meant to last forever, but meant to call us to be present and in awe of the life we’ve been given.
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What’s a flower that represents how you’re feeling this season, and why?
This Spring, I’m feeling very Icelandic poppy—delicate but resilient, unexpectedly wild, and completely unbothered by not being everyone’s favorite. There’s something about their papery petals and unpredictable shapes that speaks to this season of embracing softness while still standing strong.
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As both a business owner and content creator, you balance creativity with strategy. How do you stay grounded while growing?
A lot of coffee, early mornings, and knowing when to ask for help. I stay grounded by remembering why I started: to create beauty that supports people connecting with themselves and with one another. Growth is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. What keeps me steady is our team—strong, creative women (and some incredible men now also!) who believe in what we’re building—and staying rooted in gratitude and kindness.
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If you could give one piece of advice to someone just starting out on their budding businesses or passions, what would it be?
Start scrappy. Start before you’re ready. I launched East Olivia with flowers in my bathtub and buckets up six flights of stairs—while still working full-time for Anthropologie and moonlighting on nights and weekends. I even hired my first two employees before I left my full-time job.
You don’t need a perfect plan—just a clear intention and a willingness to show up every day, especially when it’s hard. Hard work, consistency, and a commitment to excellence will beat out raw talent every time. And no matter how successful you become, how you treat people will always matter. The relationships you build—clients, collaborators, team—will shape the longevity and integrity of your business.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes in life and in business. I haven’t always gotten it right the first time. But every misstep, every conflict, has been an opportunity to learn, grow, and "fail forward." The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. Just keep going, stay grounded in your values, and trust that each step, even the messy ones, are part of the path forward.
